Tax officials arrested, released for firing weapon in public area

“Pull rank” to ensure speedy release

by Boonleua Chatri

On January 15, a drunken official of the tax department, angry with his wife, discharged a firearm into the air. Police were then summoned to the ‘Thai Angel Karaoke’ on Pattaya Second Road.

Officers found 6 Thai people engaged in a loud argument. Once of the men had a .38 revolver in his possession. Officers arrested the group and attempted to confiscate the firearm, but the man resisted.

Isaret Chansongseang, an official with the tax department, told police that this was a domestic quarrel and the police should not get involved.

One of the officers again attempted to wrest the gun away from the man but he shook the officer’s shirt collar. The policeman backed off and called for reinforcements.

Soon, a squad of 20 officers arrived and subdued the man. They then invited he and the other men, all tax officials, to the Pattaya Police Station. The men refused to get into the police van, however, saying they were public officials. They would drive to the station in their own vehicle, which, they said, belonged to the tax department.

At the station, the drunken Isaret made loud noises, accusing police of being officious and making false accusations against him concerning his shooting into the air. He also managed to smuggle the gun he was carrying out of the police station with one of his friends.

Finally, Police Lt. Colonel Chachawan Phisuthiwong, Deputy in Charge of Investigations, entered the fray. He asked why so much noise was being made in a government office.

The angry Isaret then took off his jacket and threw it furiously onto the floor. The Colonel ordered him handcuffed and charged with drunk and disorderly conduct in a government office.

Isaret refused to be handcuffed and a scuffle ensued between police and Tax Officials.

At this time Isaret’s wife entered and helped her husband to resist police. The cartoon like atmosphere lasted about 5 minutes before Isaret gave up to the police.

Thira Nilvilai, another tax official, tried to ‘clear up’ the problem. The police then asked to see Thira’s gun. He had a permit to carry it anyplace in the Kingdom but it had expired 5 years previously. Police arrested Thira for carrying a weapon in a public place with no just cause.

Isaret continued his yelling, saying that police were being officious.

Colonel Chachawan ordered his subordinates to search the official car. Police found no weapons. They implored Isaret’s friend, who had hidden the gun earlier, to produce it. He later did this.

Police charged Isaret with discharging a firearm in a public place, but Isaret and Thira produced a permit signed by a high official. Police had no choice but to levy a 500 baht fine and release Isaret. They also released Thira of the expired weapon permit charge.

The final charges were drunk and disorderliness and creating a public disturbance, resisting arrest and assaulting an officer of the law.

As the men were public officials, they only received a warning and were released.

Pluak Daeng residents continue protest

Accuse Industrial Estates Governor of lying

On January 16, a group of 40 members of the "Farmers for Preservation of the Environment of the East" from Pluak Daeng District hand-delivered a letter of protest to Government House in Bangkok. The letter was protesting the Thai-Singapore Industrial Estates project.

The group then delivered another copy of the letter to the Embassy of Singapore in Bangkok. The main content of the letter stated:

"The implementation of this project is not transparent, unfair and the residents of the area do not want this industrial estate to be built. The area is not suitable for industry.

"This 9,000 rai plot of land has been declared an important ‘headwater’ for many streams and small rivers which are sources of drinking water.

"The water table is very shallow in this area and contains many artesian wells upon which the local people must rely for potable water.

"The area is also one of the largest rain catchment areas on the Eastern Seaboard. The Nong Pla Lai reservoir relies on this rainwater and the reservoir, which is the largest on the Eastern Seaboard.

"This area is also one of the largest agricultural areas and an important producer of staple crops."

On the same day, Deputy Prime Minister Korn Thapparansri presided at the signing of a contract to build the Thai-Singapore Industrial Estates 21. The two Thai co-investors were the KKJCI (Thailand) Company Ltd. and the Industrial Estates of Thailand.

The contract contradicted the protester’s document, stating:

"This Industrial Estate has been approved by the Environmental Protection Authority, which is even encouraging the estate’s construction as it will be a model of environmental safety."

Construction on the Thai-Singapore Industrial Estate 21 is going forward and will be administered by the Sugar Company of the East Ltd. and the Joo Long Town Corporation of Singapore. The share division is 60:40.

Pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, household chemical products, and pre-packaged foods will be manufactured at the estate.

The construction is in 4 phases which will consume a total of 20 years to complete. Construction begins in the second third of 1999 in which 500 rai will be used at a cost of 7,000 million baht.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that the government has been negotiating with protesters and hopes to come to an agreement on 9 articles. The Industrial Estate will make a full report to the residents of Pluak Daeng of its environmental protection plan.

Mr. Thirawat Naamduang, the leader of the protesters, accused the government of lying to society. He told reporters that Mr. Somjate Thipphrom, Governor of the Industrial Estates of Thailand, was not telling the truth and accuses Mr. Somjate of ‘telling tales’ to the Deputy Prime Minister. The protesters feel that Mr. Somjate should be disciplined for his duplicity.

The meeting between Mr. Somjate and the protesters was merely a ‘fact finding’ meeting. At this point, the protesters have not agreed to anything. The protesters still do not want the estate built.

Jealous husband murders wife

Restaurant owner shoots wife with 12 gauge shotgun

Jealous husband Sawang Boonchan killed his wife with a 12 gauge shotgun.

Sawang Boonchan, 57, owner of the Chai Lai Jungle Food Restaurant near the Mab Prachan Reservoir, shot and killed his wife on January 14th in a fit of jealousy.

Sawang was still holding the murder weapon when police arrived on the scene. He confessed to the crime and was taken away for questioning.

Sawang told police that his wife had many male admirers and would sometimes leave the restaurant with them. He warned her not to but she argued with him, so he took the shotgun and killed her.

Ms. Vilai Buphachat, 36, died from wounds received after being shot with a twelve gauge shot gun.

CSD continues war on drugs

Arrest four more dealers

Banglamung Crime Suppression Division Police made a drugs bust on January 15 after learning that a group of people were selling amphetamines out of a red Toyota. The car was seen travelling to various communities in the area and the dealers were allegedly selling directly to young people.

CSD police searched out and arrested several speed dealers in Banglamung.

Police located and followed the suspect red Toyota to a local house, whereupon officers presented a search warrant and found 1,770 tablets of amphetamines in the car. They also found an air rifle and 7,300 baht in marked bank notes.

The occupants of the car, Ms. Prateuang Oonseethong, 48, and Mr. Athit Oonseethong, 22, were arrested.

Officers later brought the two out to their house in Banglamung where they found Chavalit Limjai, 20, formerly of Banglamung, walking toward them. A body search of Chavalit turned up 4 amphetamine tablets of in his pocket. He, too, was arrested, and all were brought to the Banglamung Police Station.

On the way to the police station, officers spied another suspect, Mr. Wasant San, and searched him and found 3 tablets of ‘speed’ on his person. He was also arrested.

All four quickly admitted to the charges of selling speed.

All four were charged with possession of Schedule 1 substances with intent to sell.

Gangland style murder in Khao Mai Kaew

Body found smoldering by the road

On January 13, police received a report of a grisly murder from a concerned citizen who had found a cremated body on the side of the road. The resident of the Khao Mai Kaew area, where the body was found, said the flames were still burning and caught his attention.

Banglamung police could not identify the body. Officers then realized to their horror that body had been burned once before and the murderer had burned the bones by the side of the road to challenge police.

Police then remembered that a gang of ‘hit men’ had used this type of ritual burning before and officers who have been stationed at Banglamung for a long period of time are sure they have a positive lead.

Police rescue underage girls from brothel

Smuggled letter prompted action

On January 15, Police Major General Surasak Sutharom, Assistant Commander of the Central Police Division for the Assistance of Women, Children and Young People, ordered Police Colonel Phinij Satcharoen to help 2 girls forced to work in the Blue Home brothel on Soi Pattayaland in South Pattaya. The general had received a letter informing him of the situation.

Police raided the Blue Home brothel on Soi Pattayaland, rescuing two underage girls and arresting many others.

A squad of ranking police officers went to the brothel, a 3-story office building in Banglamung in which the ground floor was being used as a beer bar, and found about 15 young female sex workers there aged between 19-20 years old. Seeing the officers, the girls all ran and hid.

Officers went up to the second and third floors of the building and found the two girls mentioned in the letter to the general, locked in two rooms. When the officers released the girls they cried with relief.

The two 17 year old girls told police that the owners of the brothel were Mr. Sin Naksomyat, 40, and his wife, Ms. Lamduan (surname unknown.). The girls told officers that the two fled when they saw the police approaching.

The procuress was Ms. Porn Wongboodsri, 33, a native of Nong Khai Province near the Lao border.

Police took all 15 girls they had apprehended earlier, the two 17 year olds and Ms. Porn to the Pattaya Police Station.

The girls told police that they were forced to sleep with foreigners for from 1,500-5,000 baht a time. They were threatened with beating if they did not cooperate. They said that five of their friends had already escaped.

Police are giving the girls protection and help.

Drugs and guns confiscated in arrest

Local caught selling to undercover officer

Mr. Saneh Srisukh, 29, was remanded to custody on January 12 after selling Schedule 1 drugs to an undercover police officer out of his house in Banglamung.

Saneh Srisukh and two women were arrested for illegal possession with intent to sell Schedule 1 drugs and possession of illegal weapons.

Police had received information that Saneh was selling methampetamine at entertainment establishments. An undercover officer was sent to Saneh’s house in Banglamung and once money exchanged hands, arrested him.

A subsequent search of his house revealed 155 tablets of ‘orange speed’ and two illegal ‘Saturday Night Special’ guns in the house.

Mr. Saneh confessed and was booked for with possession of illegal substances with intent to sell.

Two women present at the time of arrest were also brought in for questioning.

Helping detached children

On the 8th of January at the Mahathai Orphanage Pattaya, a Child Welfare Seminar was held on how to help abused children and street children that have no aim in life. Over 30 organizations from all over the kingdom attended the seminar.

Sharing ideas on how to help unfortunate children.

The aim of the seminar was how to assist street children and those who have been sexually abused. Focus was also put on how to get them off the streets and on a better track, helping them to reintegrate themselves into the community.

The seminar also sought to teach how to help those who have been in child detention centers, who after getting out and have no where to go to, except back to the same old ways they used to or back to their old friends who they see as their families.

Thai elephants have job to do for DiCaprio

The controversial film The Beach by Twentieth Century Fox has given Thai elephants jobs in the economic crisis, as up to 10 are needed to star in the movie during the month of shooting on Krabi’s Maya island. The elephants will soon be transported from Surin Province to the island by Fox’s production team.

Each of the elephants is paid Baht 60,000 for its part in the movie, while a mahout gets Baht 15,000 a month with meals and lodging separately provided, said the elephant village headsman Pakit Kangpana from Tha Tum district. Fox will be responsible for all transportation costs, he said.

Leonardo DiCaprio, from the worldwide hit movie Titanic, will lead in the action movie, which in the past few months has been under protests by groups of local residents and environmentalists who fear production works will forever change the scene of the world renowned natural beach, left undisturbed by encroachment for decades.

Environmentalists planned more protests while production work already started; 6 heavy trucks arranged for the elephants; life insurance packages arranged for the huge animal; ‘employment agreement’ closely scrutinized as mahouts recently had a bad experience in Indonesia.

Pattaya Festival organizers prepare for 1999 event

Attempting to avoid problems evident in last event

Organizers of this year’s Pattaya Festival met at city hall, with the main conclusion being that this year final decisions on festival organization will be kept in the hands of public officials to avoid the myriad of problems that resulted when a private organization was hired to run the last event two years ago.

Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat (right) and City Manager Nirand Watanasartsathorn (left) prepare for the Pattaya Festival 1999.

Pattaya Mayor Pairat Suthithamrongsawat and Nirand Watanasartsatorn, Pattaya’s City Manager, called a meeting of the organizing committee to invite various participating organizations to express their opinions and to sort out ways to make improvements over last festival.

The main problem with the last private company hired was the closing of Beach Road in order to set up concession booths. This was more to make money than to celebrate the festival and caused problems for businesspeople in the area.

Mayor Pairat, chair of the organizing meeting, invited Mr. Direk Sawangsaeng, the owner of a private company, to study the possibility of joining with the city in organizing this year’s festival.

Direk told the committee that, "I would like to organize it with an emphasis on public relations. We would like to use cable television station ITV to run more than 20 broadcasts a day. The cost would be approximately 1,500,000 baht. 30% of the profit would go to Pattaya City. The company would hold power of attorney for all rights to the festival in the name of Pattaya. Income sources for the city would be from: 1. Television advertisements. 2. Booths in the festival. 3. Admission tickets for concerts, amusement areas, and light and sound shows. 4. Various contests."

Mr. Chanyuth Hengtrakul, the Head of the Chonburi Administration and Head of the Media Association of Pattaya, said Pattaya City should announce that all companies were eligible to apply. This would give more private companies a chance to vie for the honor of organizing the festival. He continued, saying a committee should be set up in order to check how the company was working.

Pattaya learned a lesson two years ago when the festival was like a temple fair and caused much hardship for the people. Pattaya City must set the conditions for the organization of the festival. As for Mr. Direk presenting himself as the organizer and his plans, which emphasize publicity on television, this alone would be worthwhile. The bad news items that newspapers printed about the last festival were due to the private company’s not honoring its contract.

The opinions expressed at the meeting will be taken to a formal meeting with Sujarit Pajchimanan, Governor of Chonburi, who will head the Songkran Festival, 1999, on Petchtrakul Road, next to Pattaya City Hall.

Residents lobby to repair Soi Srinakorin

Jural official claims taxes too high

The populace is irate and irritated, and residents, businesspeople, and students have all joined hands in condemning the city administration.

Soi Srinakharin (behind Pattaya Bowl leading between Third Road and Beach Road) is so full of holes that walking on it is true ‘puddle-jumping’, and driving on it resembles the recently run Silverstone Rally.

Obtaining no satisfaction, citizens have flowed to the Pattaya Mail’s offices in waves.

Reporters, not the credulous types, went to see for themselves. The Soi, a private thoroughfare that connects Second Road to Beach Road, is indeed a sorry sight. It now resembles the surface of a pizza more than it does a road.

So, reporters contacted Mr. Somkiart Rojanavarakamon, the jural official in charge of the Srinakharin Project. He informed reporters that the project had a great deal of trouble collecting rents from businesspeople. Some were months behind on their payments. Some were even years behind. Some, who had gone bankrupt, left in the dark of night, never to be seen again. This set of circumstances was responsible for the Project’s not having the budget to repair the roads.

Mr. Somkiart also said city taxes were ferociously high. Each shophouse was charged 5,250 baht in rent, due to the area being zoned for business.

The city says that it must collect more taxes in this area, as it was a business area. Mr. Somkiart says this is false, as business is not bubbling like it was 10 years ago. More than 50 shophouses are empty.

The project would like the city to reconsider the tax rates and adjust them to the present situation. If not, the businesses that are left will have to leave.

Despite all these problems, Mr. Somkiart told the Pattaya Mail he would see what he could do and would try to have the road as smoothened by February. At the latest.

Copyright 1998 Pattaya Mail Publishing Co.Ltd.
370/7-8 Pattaya Second Road, Pattaya City, Chonburi 20260, Thailand 
Tel.66-38 411 240-1, 413 240-1, Fax:66-38 427 596; e-mail: [email protected]
Created by Andy Gombaz, assisted by Chinnaporn Sangwanlek.